Roller type pump



March 9, 1965 N. ca. KLING 3,172,367

ROLLER TYPE PUMP Filed Jan. 8, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Naso/v6-. Aims w-+6.... Q-L

March 9, 1965 N. s. KLlNG ROLLER TYPE PUMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan.8, 1963 INVENTOR. Nasal G- 'Q NG United States Patent 3,172,367 ROLLERTYPE PUMP Nelson G. Kling, Ringwood, N.J., assignor to T eclmiconInstruments Corporation, Chauncey, N.Y., a corporation of New York FiledJan. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 250,089 4 Claims. (Cl. 103-149) This inventionrelates to pumps and more particularly to multiple tube proportioningpumps wherein the pump tubes are compressed and completely closedprogressively along their lengths for pumping various fluids.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a pump of theindicated type which is especially well adapted for use with tubes ofsmall internal diameters.

Another object is to provide a pump of the indicated type which isconstructed for operation with a plurality of tubes of differentinternal diameters or of the same internal diameters without the use ofa platen or other backing means frequently employed in multiple tubepumps.

A further object of the invention is generally to provide a multipletube pump which is compact in construction, efficient in operation, andwhich is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of this inventionwill be fully understood from the following description considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings which are illustrative of thepresently preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view, in elevation and partly in section on the line 11of FIG. 2 of a pump embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating parts of the tubecompressing members in one range of sizes, as to their internaldiameters, and for a tube or tubes of another range of sizes as to theirinternal diameters; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the compressing action of a tubecompressor member on a compressible tube of the pump.

Referring now to the drawings in detail the pump comprises a framehaving a base 12 and a rigid vertical panel 14 upstanding from said baseand secured thereto in any suitable way. The frame also includes sidewall members 15 secured to base 12 and to the opposite edges of panel14. A block 16 is secured to panel 14 by pins 18 (FIGS. 2 and 3) whichpass through holes 20 in mounting plate 22 with a tight fit and throughholes 24 in block 16 and into holes 26 in panel 14, said pins 18 havinga tight fit in holes 24 and 26. A plate 28 is secured to base 12 in anysuitable way and extends to the bottom of block 16, and the lower partof mounting plate 22 is secured to said plate 28 in any suitable Way asby a screw 30 (FIG. 2). Thus block 16 and plate 22 are rigidly held as aunit on frame panel 14.

Block 16 has upwardly inclined planar sides 32 on which the tube holders34 are releasably secured, each of said tube holders being provided witha plurality of grooves 36 in which the pump tubes are positioned andheld against longitudinal movement. As shown in FIG. 2, there are tworesiliently compressible tubes 38 in certain of the grooves 36, and aresiliently compresible tube 40 of a smaller internal diameter thantubes 38 as shown positioned in one of the grooves 36 of the tube holder34.

The tubes are provided with collars 42 fixed to the tubes and engageablewith the edge of the tube holder near the companion groove forreleasably preventing movement of the tube longitudinally of the groovesduring the pumping operation. Each tube holder is held in position onthe companion surface 32 of the valve block by pins which project intoholes 43 (FIG. 2) in the tube holder. Nuts 44 may be employed inreleasable engagement with threaded studs 46 secured to block 16 andproject from the sides 32 thereof for releasably securing tube holders34 in position on said block.

The tube compressing means comprises a drum 48 which is secured to adriven shaft 50 mounted for rotation in bearings 52 provided in panel 14and plate 22. Said drum 48 is provided with a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced pressure rollers 54 which are journailed attheir opposite ends on the side members 56 of the drum 48, said sidemembers being fixed to the drive shaft 50 for rotation therewith. Saiddrum also includes a mounting member 58 which is fixed to shaft 50 inaxially spaced relation to an adjacent side member 56 of the drum. Tubecompressor rollers 60 of smaller diameter than the rollers 50 arejournalled at their opposite ends in bearings side member 58 and in theadjacent side member 56.

Shaft 50 is driven by a pulley 62 having a belt 64 which is driven bythe pulley 66 on the shaft of the reduction gearing of a motor 68. Saidmotor 68 is mounted on a bracket 70 secured to the panel 14, so that themotor is positioned between the opposite side walls 15 of the frame 10.

In the operation of the pump, when shaft St) is rotated tube compressingrollers 54 engage the resiliently flexible stationary tubes 38progressively along their lengths and fully close the tubes asillustrated in FIG. 5, while the tube compressing rollers movelongitudinally of the tube during rotation of the drum 48 fortransmitting the fluid through the tubes.

It will be apparent from an inspection of the drawings,

/ especially FIG. 1, that the movement of the tube compressor rollermembers 54 longitudinally of the tubes which are held in taut conditionby the engagement of the collars 42 with the edge of the tube holder 34results in a continuous flow through the tubes toward the right, viewFIG. 4. It Will also be understood that the same action occurs withreference to the tube of tubes 40 of the smaller diameter which areengaged by the compressor members 60.

The multiple tube pump of the present invention is especially welladapted for pumping liquids through tubes of smaller inner diameter, forexample, as proportioning pumps in automatic analysis apparatus of typeshown by the US, patent to Skeggs, No. 2,797,149 owned by the assigneeof this application. By way of a non-limitative example, it may be notedthat the small rollers or presser members 69 have a diameter ofone-sixteenth of an inch and these rollers are effective to fully closethe small tubes 40 progressively along their lengths during the rotationof drum 48, the inner diameter of tubes 40 being in the order ofthree-hundredths of an inch and smaller. Said tube of the small diameterare particularly useful for the transmission of body fluid samples, forexample small quantities of blood which are to be analyzedquantitatively with respect to various constituents of the blood sample.The larger rollers or tube compressors 54 have a diameter of the orderof three-sixteenths of an inch and are intended primarily forcompressing tubes, which have an internal diameter greater thanthree-hundredths of an inch, such tubes being used for the transmissionof diluents and reagents employed in the analysis of the body fluidsamples in the analysis apparatus.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described, and thatcertain resiliently compressible tubes at least one of which has a asmaller internal diameter than the other of said tubes, a first set of aplurality of circumferentially spaced rollers, a second set of aplurality of circumferentially spaced rollers, the diameters of therollers of one of said sets being smaller than the diameters of theother of said sets of rollers, means for holding at least oneresiliently compressible tube in taut condition in engagement withcertain of the rollers of said first set, means for holding said oneresiliently compressible tube of smaller internal diameter inlongitudinally taut condition and in engagement with certain rollers ofsaid second set, and means cooperatively associated with said two setsof rollers for rotating the same to simultaneously compress said tubesprogressively along their lengths for the pumping operation.

2. In a multiple tube pump comprising a plurality of resilientlycompressible tubes at least one of which has a smaller internal diameterthan the other of said tubes, a first set of a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced rollers, a second set of a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced rollers, the diameters of the rollers of one ofsaid sets being smaller than the diameters of the other of said sets ofrollers, means for holding said one resiliently compressible tube ofsmaller internal diameter in taut condition in engagement Withcertain ofthe rollers of said first set, means for holding at least oneresiliently compressible tube other than said first mentioned tube inlongitudinally taut condition and in engagement with certain rollers ofsaid second set, and means cooperatively associated with said two setsof rollers for rotating the same to simultaneously compress said tubesprogressively along their lengths for the pumping operation, said tubeholding means comprising a block mounted below said rollers and havingopposite sides disposed inplanes extending toward said rollers, andmeans on said block for positioning said tubes so that they extendupwardly from one of said sides of the block, then across at least twoof said rollers, and then downwardly from said rollers to the other sideof the block.

3. In a multiple tube pump comprising a plurality of resilientlycompressible tubes at least one of which has a smaller internal diameterthan the other of said tubes, a rotary drum, first and second sets ofcircumferentially spaced rollers carried by saiddrum and rotatablethere= with, the diameters of the rollers of one of said sets beingsmaller than the diameters of the other of said sets of rollers, meansfor holding at least one resiliently compressible tube in taut conditionin engagement with certain of the rollers of said first set, means forholding said one resiliently compressible tube of smaller internaldiameter than said other tubes in longitudinally taut condition and inengagement with certain rollers of said second set, and means forrotating said drum and thereby rotating said two sets of rollers tosimultaneously compress said tubes progressively along their lengths forthe pumping operation.

4. In a multiple tube pump comprising a plurality of resilientlycompressible tubes at least one of which has a smaller internal diameterthan the other of said tubes, a rotary drum, first and second sets ofcircumferentially spaced rollers carried by said drum and rotatabletherewith, the diameters of the rollers of one of said sets beingsmaller than the diameters of the other of said sets of rollers, meansfor holding at least one resiliently compressible tube in taut conditionin engagement with certain of the rollers of said first set, means forholding said one resiliently compressible tube of smaller internaldiameter than said first mentioned tube in longitudinally taut conditionand in engagement with certain rollers of said second set, and meanscooperaitvely associated with said drum for rotating said two sets ofrollers to simultaneously compress said tubes progressively along theirlengths for the pumping operation, said tube holding means comprising ablock mounted below said drum and having upwardly inclined oppositesides at opposite sides, respectively, of the axis of rotation of saiddrum, and means on said inclined sides of the block for positioning saidtubes so that they extend upwardly from one of said inclined sidestoward the axis of said drum,

then across at least two of said rollers, and then downwardly from saidrollers to the other side of said block.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. IN A MULTIPLE TUBE PUMP COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF RESILIENTLYCOMPRESSIBLE TUBES AT LEAST ONE OF WHICH HAS A SMALLER INTERNAL DIAMETERTHAN THE OTHER OF SAID TUBES, A FIRST SET OF A PLURALITY OFCIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED ROLLERS, A SECOND SET OF A PLURALITY OFCIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED ROLLERS, THE DIAMETERS OF THE ROLLERS OF ONE OFSAID SETS BEING SMALLER THAN THE DIAMETERS OF THE OTHER OF SAID SETS OFROLLERS, MEANS FOR HOLDING AT LEAST ONE RESILIENTLY COMPRESSIBLE TUBE INTAUT CONDITION IN ENGAGEMENT WITH CERTAIN OF THE ROLLERS OF SAID FIRSTSET, MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID ONE RESILIENTLY COMPRESSIBLE TUBE OF SMALLERINTERNAL DIAMETER IN LONGITUDINALLY TAUT CONDITION AND IN ENGAGEMENTWITH CERTAIN ROLLERS OF SAID SECOND SETS, AND MEANS COOPERATIVELYASSOCIATED WITH SAID TWO SETS OF ROLLERS FOR ROTATING THE SAME TOSIMULTANEOUSLY COMPRESS SAID TUBES PRORESSIVELY ALONG THEIR LENTHS FORTHE PUMPING OPERATION.